Investing
Can't Get a Piece of the Facebook IPO? Lucky You!
Don't feel bad that you aren't one of those lucky, well-connected investors who gets to buy into Facebook's IPO this week. Those buyers may look lucky when the likely initial price pop happens. But odds are, the pop will be followed by a drop.
Continue reading »Company News
GM Had 1,999 Reasons to Crash Facebook's IPO Party
GM's ill-timed announcement that it will no longer advertise on Facebook should come as no surprise. The site is popular. Its paid ads aren't. Only about 1 in every 2,000 ad impressions on the social media giant received clicks for advertisers.
Continue reading »Credit Cards
Stay-At-Home Mom Fights New Credit Card Rule
The Card Act was passed in 2009 to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive credit card practices. But some stay-at-home parents complain that one part of the law has made it harder for them to get credit cards.
Continue reading »Credit
Think Your Mortgage Refi Rate is Great? IBM Pays Less Than 1%
Thanks to record-low interest rates, consumers with good credit can get 30-year fixed-rate mortgages for about 3.75%. But that's sky high compared to the 0.75% interest IBM is going to pay $900 million worth of corporate bonds.
Continue reading »Money
Obama Assets Valued Between $2.6 Million and $8.3 Million
Obama released the annual report in the middle of a presidential campaign that has brought attention to the wealth of his Republican opponent, Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor is worth $190 million to $250 million, with much of his money coming from investments.
Continue reading »Credit Cards
Solid Reasons for the Unbanked to Shun Chase's New 'Liquid Card'
When bankers come up with a new wonder product, it's rarely good news for consumers. JPMorgan Chase's new "Liquid" card is no exception. This reloadable debit card for the poor is loaded with fees.
Continue reading »Investing
As Investors Fawn Over Facebook, Poll Finds User Distrust, Apathy
Faced with great expectations, Facebook is staring down some potentially unnerving obstacles when it comes to key areas of monetization and growth: public distrust and display advertising apathy.
Continue reading »Economy
Consumer Prices Hold Steady as Gas Costs Fall
U.S. consumer prices were flat last month as cheaper gas offset modest increases for food, clothing and housing. The data indicate that inflation remains in check.
Continue reading »Economy
Automakers Drive U.S. Factory Output Higher in April
U.S. factory output increased in April, helped by a gain in auto production. Busier factories have driven stronger hiring this year and helped the economy grow. The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that factory production rose 0.6% in April, erasing a 0.5% decline in March.
Continue reading »Media
Hollywood, Homeland Security Double Up Video Piracy Warnings
If you thought the unskippable FBI warning about piracy included on every DVD was annoying before, prepare for an additional pre-roll message, brought to you by Homeland Security.
Continue reading »Energy
ExxonMobil's Safety Obsession: Inside the Mind of an Oil Giant
Most people know of the Exxon Valdez disaster. Far fewer are aware of the 1992 kidnapping and killing of Sidney Reso, a top Exxon exec. But those two events ignited a mania for safety and security at ExxonMobil that has shaped the company ever since.
Continue reading »Company News
Best Buy Gets Worse: CEO Dunn May Be Done, but His Payday Isn't
Want to make an easy $6.6 million at Best Buy? Find a way to be its next CEO and then have an inappropriate relationship with an employee. Because as Brian Dunn has shown, getting booted for a shady affair won't cost you your big golden parachute.
Continue reading »Energy
Shocking Way Electric Utilities Are Making Us Pay for the Smart Grid
The coming electricity revolution will see conventional meters phased out in favor of "smart" meters to help create the smart grid. It should be a win-win for customers and the utilities -- but the utilities are getting greedy.
Continue reading »People
Facebook CEO Turns 28, IPO Could Be $100B Gift
He famously wears a hoodie, jeans and sneakers, and he was born the year Apple introduced the Macintosh. But Mark Zuckerberg is no boy-CEO. Facebook's chief executive turned 28 on Monday, setting in motion the social network's biggest week ever.
Continue reading »
Stop Pouring Money Down the Drain
When it comes to saving money on water, large capacity pitcher filters are a popular option, but are you pouring your money down the drain by using them? Watch Video